Spiral propeller for ships.



3.1. TOBIN & F. J. GALLAGHER SPIRAL PROPELLER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1916.

Patented June 12, 1917.

am JJTobin, I 1 L] Gallagher UNITED STATES PATEN T @FFIQE.

JOHN J'. TOIBIN, OF SAYRE, AND FRANK J. GALLAGHER, OF WILKES-BARBIE, PENN SYIP VAN IA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Original application filed October 28, 1915, Serial No. 58,418. Divided and this application filed June 22,

1916. Serial No. 105,238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN J. TOBIN and FRANK J GALLAGHER, citizens of the United States, residing at Sayre and \Vilkes-Barre, respectively, in the counties of Bradford and Luzerne, respectively, and State of Penn sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spiral Propellers for 1 hips, of which the following is a specification.

The primary purpose of this invention is the provision of a novel propelling means for ships and water craft generally, whereby the speed of such carriers is increased and the liability of injury to the propeller reduced by having the same inclosed.

This application is a division of a copending application filed by me October 28, 1915, and bearing the Serial No. 58,418 and in accordance with this invention the propeller is of screw or spiral formation and is inclosed in a suitable casing through which the water is caused to pass, thereby obtaining a two-fold action, the one resulting from drawing the water into the casing and the other from forcing the water from the easing against that in the rear thereof.

With these and other objects in view, our invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claim which is attached to and forms a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a ship provided with our improved propelling means;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the propelling means.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

As shown in the drawings, the vessel 10 is provided with an engine 11 of any suitable type having a drive shaft 12 which projects through the bow of the ship below the water level, and is journaled in a suit able stuffing box 13 formed at the bow of the ship and in a bearing forming spider 14 mounted in the forward end of a tubular casing 15 which extends axially of the ship and at the front thereof. Mounted upon that portion of the. shaft projecting within this housing or casing is a propeller 16 in the form of a flight or wing extending spirally about the shaft. Tubular conductors 17 extend along the sides of the bow of the ship and receive the water from the casing with which they connect. These conductors extend, however, only a relatively short distance along the sides of the hull in order to discharge the water in the rear of the bow. The combined area or capacity of the tubular conductors is substantially equal to that of the casing so as to properly carry off all the water delivered to them from the casing.

In operation, the propeller is driven by the engine and forward end of the casing and discharge it through the conductors, the drawing of the water into the casing tending to create a reduced water pressure in advance of the vessel, while the discharge of water in the rear through the conductors tends to push the vessel forward. It will thus be understood that the vessel is actuated by a dual force, the one drawing and the other pushing.

It will be understood that the type of propeller disclosed being incased is protected from injury to external objects and is extremely efficient, materially increasing the speed of the vessel without requiring a proportionate increase in power. We reserve the right to make any changes in details of construction which may be found advisable, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In ship propulsion, the combination with a ship hull, of a tubular housing extending longitudinally in advance of the bow of the ship and in line with the keel thereof, a spider mounted in the forward end of the housing, a propeller shaft extending through the bow of the ship and axially of the first housing and journaled in the spider, a propeller mounted upon the shaft, and tubular housings communicating at their forward ends with the first housing and extending rearwardly along the sides of the bow of the ship and exteriorly thereof.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

JOHN J. TOBIN. [L. s.] FRANK J. GALLAGHER. [1,. s.]

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

acts to draw water into the 

